One of the most opinionated athletes in all of sports, CONOR McGREGOR also has one of the loudest tattoo collections.
The Irishman is planning his return from a horrific broken leg, suffered in his last fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.
When Conor McGregor made his debut in UFC in 2013, he was virtually tattoo free
Now the Notorious sports a very different look and is heavily tattooed
McGregor’s tattoos are now very much part of his multimillion pound image
But when McGregor, 34, debuted in UFC – beating Marcus Brimage by TKO in April 2013 – he was not exactly fresh-faced but looked radically different to the man currently getting back to the top of the fight game.
His trademark beard was there but the three massive tattoos he now has across his abdomen were not.
Not only has Notorious added to those pieces, he’s also had a large tattoo designed on his left forearm.
But McGregor’s first tattoo goes all the way back to when he was on holiday as a youngster…
Here, SunSport looks at the ink McGregor has – and the meaning (or lack of) behind some of them.
HEEL
McGregor has Arabic writing on the back of his left heel, but doesn’t know what it actually says.”This was my first, when I was drunk… I got it in Ayia Napa for €20. It could mean anything.”
Arabic writing on McGregor’s heel – he got it when he was drunk in Ayia Napa as a 20-year-old
NECK
Although McGregor has a winged crucifix, his religion is unknown.
Many assumed he was Catholic as he’s Irish, but he got in hot water with some Irish fans after wearing a poppy.
He later said “f*** politics and f*** religion”.
McGregor has a winged crucifix on his neck, but his religion is unknown
Back
Running down McGregor’s back – from the base of the crucifix to the small of his back – McGregor has a helix of thorns.
It’s not known when or why he got that one.
The Irishman has a helix of thorns running down his spine
Chest
McGregor has a silverback gorilla wearing a crown and holding a heart in its mouth.
The tattoo is a twist on the symbol of coach John Kavangah’s Straight Blast Gym.
McGregor said: “I just like the way it looks.”
A gorilla wearing a crown and with a heart in its mouth is across McGregor’s chest
Forearm (1)
The front of his left forearm is covered in a rose bush with a clock showing 3.35pm (it’s not known if this time is significant), and a large dagger through a separate rose on the inside.
There is a small stick figure in a boxing pose – perhaps in the pose of the Notre Dame leprechaun – by his elbow.
The back of the tattoo also has a gentleman wearing a top hat.
The inside of his forearm has a dagger through one of the roses
McGregor has a rosebush with a clock on his left forearm, as well as a small stick figure in a boxing pose by his elbow
The back of his forearm features a gentleman with a top hat
Forearm (2)
Just above the roses the motto “slow is smooth, smooth is fast” is inscribed.
The saying is common in elite military units’ firearms training, specifically the Navy SEALs.
McGregor has the Navy Seals motto ‘slow is smooth, smooth is fast’ just below his elbow
Abdomen (1)
McGregor says he added the tiger on a whim while on holiday in Venice.
“I said ‘f*** it, I’m gonna get a tiger…’ I think it’s a courageous animal,” he revealed.
The Irishman, however, has previously revealed that he is fascinated with the way animals move and incorporates that into his training, studying the way they hunt their prey.
McGregor has a tiger on his abdomen – the Irishman has studied animal movement during training
Abdomen (2)
McGregor’s most recent tattoo is stencilled writing above and below the tiger.
It says his name, McGregor, and his nickname, Notorious.
No explanation needed, really.
The words McGregor and Notorious are stencilled on his stomach
